Indian priests follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ who came to give freedom
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, India, inaugurated the Year for Priests, saying, 'India has a great religious tradition in which priests are respected as men of prayer; men who have dedicated their lives to God, bearing witness through living the values of the Gospel.
God has blessed India and the Catholic Church with many vocations; we share these in 'mission' with the rest of the world. This year, dedicated to the priesthood, is a gift because it encourages the Church to continue priestly training, and enhance the capacity of priests to become more effective ministers.
Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad
Archbishop Joji of Hyderabad is the son of a local catechist who was responsible for establishing the Church in one village, but also facilitating its spread to 27 parishes! He is very grateful to missionaries for helping set up the seminary. ‘People are thirsting for the Word of God, and seminary formation must reflect this. The Church in Hyderabad is thriving with large numbers attending Mass each week. The people love to hear good preaching. 'It is important that we join the mission of the Church and so we have sent 8 priests as missionaries to the USA, 21 to Germany; soon we shall send some to Papua New Guinea.'
St John’s Regional Major Seminary, Hyderabad
St John's Major Seminary was opened on 27 January 1965 in Hyderabad, the meeting-point of the two distinct cultures of north and south India. It was a joint initiative of all the Bishops. It grew out of St Joseph's Seminary in Nellore which had opened in 1926 with Fr William Bouter MHM as its first Rector. It became a regional seminary in 1975. And at this point, the Mill Hill Missionaries handed over the seminary to the diocese, although they continue to teach there until today.
Today, the seminary caters for 123 theology students from all 12 dioceses and several Religious Congregations in Andhra Pradesh.
Understanding the deep riches of local customs and traditions is an essential part of the seminarians' formation. Archbishop Joji of Hyderabad explains, 'The Church in India is part of the Universal Church, but it should stand as a model of evangelisation. India has a rich spiritual tradition with which the Church can dialogue albeit that some people are fearful of abandoning the caste system. But now, educated people are coming into the Church, thirsty for the Word of God.'
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